Cyclocross Racing - Shifter positioning

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pungee
10-13-09, 01:22 PM
I have noticed that some pros tend to rotate their shifters up on bars (more so with sram). I currently have my shifter setup the same as my road bike. Anyone do this on their race bike? Does it offer better handling?

dlbcx
10-13-09, 01:31 PM
I moved my shifters up (older Campy's), after my hands flew off the shifters during a muddy race. Now, this is where I position the shifters on all of my cross bikes.
funurdiesel
10-13-09, 02:11 PM
I leave 'em the same as the road bike.

flargle
10-13-09, 02:16 PM
It varies according to taste. I keep my setup the same because my cross bike is my road bike. I also use sissy levers and spend more time on the bartops than most.

If you don't have sissy levers, then definitely use the hooks and NOT the hoods for the really steep technical descents. Unless you enjoy going OTB.
OnTheRivet
10-13-09, 06:14 PM
I used to race in the drops about 90% of the time until a few years ago while watching a bunch of World Cup races and noticed that the best racers in the world almost never rode in the drops. So I decided to try riding on the hoods more, initially it sucked because I had my levers positioned like on my road bike, so after looking how NYS, Wellens, etc had their levers rotated up I gave that a try, what a change, it was WAY better........ except one thing, I couldn't brake as hard because I didn't have as much pulling force from the hoods and my brakes sucked. I ultimately got a good set of brakes and pads and that made all the difference, I need very little lever force to stop my bike. I now never ride in the drops unless I'm sprinting at the finish.
flargle
10-13-09, 08:02 PM
Pros ride in the drops on steep technical descents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWW45TRXLZU
jonestr
10-13-09, 08:50 PM
I set my hoods up the same way for road and cross; as high as possible while still being able to grab the brake lever with my index finger in the drops.

You still have sprint finishes in cross so the same hood mounting should apply IMO
crocodilefundy
10-14-09, 07:14 AM
Set your bike up for the way you ride 95% of the time, which is probably on the hoods.
jonestr
10-14-09, 05:41 PM
I would add that if you cant grab the brakes from the drops you will be at a real disadvantage for technical drops. They may make up a small percentage of a race, but you could lose a lot of time crashing from not being able to manage a proper descending position in the drops if the hoods are run too high.
ImprezaDrvr
10-19-09, 12:59 PM
Mine are higher than on my roadie, but my road levers are pretty traditional in the way they're set up. They don't come up on the bars much at all.
nitropowered
10-19-09, 04:11 PM
My lever position is about the same as my road bike but the bar is closer and higher than the road setup.
CrimsonKarter21
10-19-09, 06:15 PM
On the road bike, I usually run the drops and hoods of my bars so that they're parallel with the ground.
I tried it with the cross bike, and I ended up tilting both up so they're about 10-15º higher than level.
pungee
10-20-09, 07:44 AM
On the road bike, I usually run the drops and hoods of my bars so that they're parallel with the ground.
I tried it with the cross bike, and I ended up tilting both up so they're about 10-15º higher than level.


I think I am going to try this out and see how I like it.